Lawrence Frank fired by Detroit Pistons

ESPN.com reported two weeks ago that Frank was the most likely coach in the league to be ousted, which, according to sources, had Frank himself resigned to his fate for several days.

A meeting Thursday with Pistons owner Tom Gores finally confirmed Frank’s ouster, after Gores offered very tepid public support of his coach when speaking to local reporters earlier this week. Frank was believed to be largely Gores’ choice to replace John Kuester in the summer of 2011, although NBA coaching sources maintain that Dumars preferred current Knicks coach Mike Woodson for the job.

After the Pistons’ season-ending loss in Brooklyn, Frank acknowledged that the mounting speculation about his future had taken its toll.

“Unfortunately, it’s been too long a talk for too long,” Frank told reporters Wednesday night. “It’s been going on for a while, so it’s not like this just jumped up and it’s news flash.

“Because you have to answer the question every day, it’s something you do give some thought to.”

Gores said before the season that he expected the Pistons, despite their youth, to reach the playoffs this season. Dumars is expected to survive despite Detroit’s rough season, thanks largely to the considerable salary-cap space that the Pistons are positioned to have this summer along with the promise shown by two young big men Dumars drafted: Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond.
(ESPN).